Born in a New City
by kellyvoytcabbage
Summary: The story about the birth of a nation and of the first child belonging to Aang and Katara.
1. Chapter 1

_This is the first chapter of my short story, _Born in a New City-_the story about the birth of a nation and of the first child belonging to Aang and Katara_. _I greatly respect your opinion and ask that you review my work. Thank you so much for reading!_

_Disclaimer: I do not own _Avatar: The Last Airbender_ or any characters, etc. which belong to it._

* * *

Chapter 1

"I did a lot of thinking during the time that my friends and I searched for my mother, especially because of the events that occurred right after the Hundred Year War that could have led to yet another. I only have the Avatar to thank for changing those events—and for saving my life." The Fire Lord turned to the subject of his thanks, who smiled abashedly. Zuko returned his smile and then turned again to the council. "I never want another war to happen again, especially during my lifetime, and I think I know how to avoid it." He stood from his chair at the table and began to pace before it, when he suddenly looked at the others intently and raised his hand, palm up.

"I believe that harmony can be restored and war avoided by regulating the power of each nation, which could be accomplished by creating a new nation—one that encompasses willing peoples of all nations—benders and nonbenders alike."

Silence fell upon the room as each member of the council considered his proposition. Aang broke it as he said, "I agree with this idea. But, Zuko," turning to the young man, "who would lead it?"

A smile played on the Fire Lord's lips. "That's it exactly. That's where my idea comes into play—my idea of whom the nation would consist. It won't be a single person—it will be all of us!"

Confusion leapt to many of their faces and he quickly adjusted his statement.

"Well, not all of _us_," encompassing the room with a sweep of his arm, "but prominent members of every nation, forming a whole, like a…"—he searched for a word—"republic. Yes—a republic nation. A nation to monitor the power of all others and a nation to serve as a safe haven for immigrants. A nation to head the future of the world."

Understanding replaced confusion as all envisioned such a great nation. Zuko smiled to himself and knew that his idea had been a good one.

"Every nation needs a capital, as should this one," pointed out Hakoda, a new yet wise figure. "In this capital, a council of these prominent members you speak of could meet and shape the plans for every nation." With this point, many of the others openly agreed.

"Nephew," said Iroh, an important leader in the council, speaking directly to Zuko, "your plan is wise and Hakoda's statement is true. I wonder, though—what should this capital be named?"

It was silent for a moment as ideas began to form, when Sokka, one of the newest and youngest members, spoke up. "What about 'Republic City'?" He turned to a now sitting Zuko and said, "You kept talking about a republic just a minute ago and I thought 'Republic City' might be fitting." He then faced the rest of the members and awaited their opinion.

Approving murmurs were heard and nods were seen. Aang grinned and stood to address Zuko, announcing, "Well, then, Fire Lord Zuko, I move that plans to create and build this new nation be readied at once, with 'Republic City' serving as its capital."

Zuko nodded and asked everyone, "All in favor, please say 'aye'."

Every member voted for this proposition and none against, and on that day, Republic City was born.

* * *

_Chapter 2 is coming soon!_

___For those of you who have read this story before, you'll notice that something is different. I deleted what was originally the first chapter because I saw a preview of the upcoming comic,_ The Search_, and realized that what I'd written was not accurate when compared to the comic. My goal is not to only to have fun and to entertain others, but also to stay true to what the creators of _Avatar: The Last Airbender ___have written. I hope this story is still enjoyable and that you keep reading and reviewing! Don't worry-I'll get to the mushy, romantic stuff later! Thanks._


	2. Chapter 2

_Sorry for taking so long to write this one! :) Enjoy._

___Disclaimer: I do not own _Avatar: The Last Airbender___ or any characters, etc. which belong to it._

* * *

Chapter 2

Sitting alone in a palace room—a room of which not many knew—he encased his face, fingers rubbing through his ebony hair repeatedly.

"Your idea really was good, you know." The voice came from near the doorway-a voice which he knew very well, so he had no need to look up to identify the speaker.

Zuko sighed. "Thanks, Aang. I still wonder, though…"—he lifted his head, stopped rubbing his hair, and revealed golden eyes, which were swirling with doubt—"what if this _does_ lead to another war?" He allowed the weight of uncertainty to once more drag his head down and resumed rubbing. "I just don't want to end up like my father…or my grandfather." He scoffed, smiled bitterly, and messed with his hair more vigorously as the next words spilled out. "I think I'm just doomed to be a bad Fire Lord."

Face lined with compassion, Aang slowly walked to the bed on which Zuko sat as he thought of the best thing to say. He sat next to the conflicted man and, too, began to buff his shaven head with his right hand as he continued to contemplate. Zuko raised his gaze again and looked at his friend with intense concern. "What do you think about my idea—about a republic nation?"

The Avatar kept his line of vision trained on the floor and did not speak immediately. Finally, he squared his shoulders, lifted himself off the mattress, and replied sincerely. "Well, like I said—I think it's a really good idea. I'm sorry that you're still not sure of it yourself, but, Zuko"—he smiled softy and placed his hand on Zuko's shoulder—"I think you're the best Fire Lord that the Fire Nation is ever going to have." His smile became a bit goofier and he said, "And that's got to mean a lot, coming from the guy you chased for a year."

Zuko chucked and the misgiving began to dissipate from his worry-lined expression. "Thanks, Aang." Confidence replaced some of his doubt and he stood to clap his hand onto Aang's shoulder, as well. "I'm glad you're here"—his eyes twinkled—"and I'm glad I never brought you back as my prisoner."

They both chuckled as they exited the room—first Zuko, and then Aang—and headed to the dining hall. Zuko became pensive once more and walked with his hands behind his back, but Aang, understanding the responsibility of leadership, decided not to press any questions upon him. The dining hall doors came into sight as they rounded a corner and a passing servant hurried to open them, bowing as the two men walked into the room, only to find Sokka and Katara. The young warrior was describing something to Katara quite animatedly, while the water-bender tried to hide a humored smile, but stopped his antics when he looked at Zuko and Aang. He grinned smugly, placed his booted feet on the table, and leaned back in his chair. He placed his hands behind his half-shaven head when they sat at the table and said, "Hey, guys. I was just telling Katara that _I_ was the one who came up with the name for Republic City."

Zuko's eyes twinkled once more. "Did you tell her that _I_ was the one who came up with the idea for the republic _nation_?"

Sokka's broad grin faltered slightly and he placed his feet on the floor, his face turning a little red. "Uh, no. I kind of left that out."

The Fire Lord chucked. His smile slowly left his lips and he said, "Actually, I was just talking to Aang about that. I'm still not sure how all of this is going to turn out." His brow furrowed and he added, gazing intently at the two siblings, "What do you guys think?"

Brother and sister glanced at each other and Katara was the first to speak. "I really like the idea." She blushed and stole a glance at her beau, recalling the day so long ago on which she had revealed to him that she did not approve of the Harmony Restoration Movement because she envisioned their future—their future marriage and children; she wondered why their family of mixed cultures should be allowed (if it ever came into existence) when others were being forced to stay within the boundaries of cultural separation. "In fact, I once told Aang that I want benders, nonbenders, and the people of every nation to start living together in harmony. I think a republic nation is a great way to get started."

Sokka nodded and added, "Yeah, Katara's right. I think it's a good idea, too." He smiled again. "And I bet I could get on that council with a good word from the Fire Lord, huh, Zuko?" He nudged Zuko on the shoulder as they all laughed.

Aang grinned and spoke directly to Zuko. "See, Zuko? Everyone seems to think this is a good plan. Now it's your turn."

Zuko smiled, too. "Yeah, Aang. I think you're right."

* * *

_Chapter 3 is coming soon! (I hope)_


	3. Chapter 3

_I am so sorry for taking so long to write this chapter. I have no excuse; school _has_ been a little crazy, but I could have found time. I just couldn't find the inspiration or desire to write this story. I won't promise not to do it again because I would probably break that promise, but I do want to thank you for bearing with me and for continuing to read this fiction._

_As always, please review and tell me how to make this story better! Enjoy. :)_

___Disclaimer: I do not own _Avatar: The Last Airbender___ or any characters, etc. which belong to it._

Chapter 3

The young woman, clad in a beautiful, flowing dress, could hardly stand still as her friend carefully placed a Fire Nation adornment in the bride's elaborately woven hair.

"Hurry up, Azula! I want to see what Mai looks like when she's actually wearing some decent clothing!"

"I could say the same about you," growled the bride, but as Azula stole at glance at Mai, she could tell that her friend didn't mean it. In fact, she couldn't remember the last time she had seen Mai so happy—nor, she considered somberly, could she remember the last time she had felt so jovial herself.

Azula paused to arch her back and looked around the room as she stretched—a room in which they had been for many hours. The area seemed to emit a warm, soothing glow and was decorated with soft, deep red couches and intricately carved wooden stools. It was the room which had been used for the preparation of the bridesmaids, who had long since left from the area and who, Azula knew, were now waiting to enter the ceremonial hall. And with that thought and the realization that the wedding would start very soon, Azula sighed and went back to work. She was happy to note, however, that the placement of the hair piece was almost in place.

After a few moments, she finally exclaimed, "There!" and spread out her hands in a grand display. "I'm done. That took forever. You had better thank me later, Mai."

Mai groaned and stood, slowly stretching—even in her wedding dress—to release the ache from sitting for so long. "Finally is right. That was torture."

Azula looked over Mai as she stretched, proudly marveling at what she and Ty Lee had accomplished. She smiled and turned the bride's body around so that she faced a mirror. "But it was worth it."

Mai stared at the transformation she had undergone and Ty Lee squealed, bouncing on the balls of her feet. "Oh, my gosh, Mai! You are _so_ pretty!" She certainly was. She continued to look into the mirror for a long while, finally turning this way and that to examine her outfit. It was the most exquisite dress the three girls had ever seen, made of long, rolling folds of white silk and carefully designed arrangements of beads. It was a dress that had succeeded in renovating Mai into the picture of pure, womanly beauty.

The bride eventually turned around with glazed eyes and a shocked expression. There was silence in the room for a moment before she spoke. "I'm getting married today."

Ty Lee, who had stopped jumping and was now dabbing her eyes with a cloth, let out a laugh mixed with a sob, whereas Azula smiled further at the sight of Mai's expression.

A clock chimed in the room and Ty Lee rushed over to examine it. "Azula, we're late!" She ran to the princess' side quickly and grabbed her hand, pulling her to the closed, maroon curtains that served as a door and that led to the ceremonial hall.

"Mai," spouted the rushed girl, "someone will be here to get you soon. Don't get nervous—"

"—and don't run off," finished a grinning Azula.

As the curtains fluttered behind them, Mai realized that she desperately needed some fresh air, so she walked to a nearby window, where she pulled apart the drapes and opened the panels. She inhaled the fresh, autumn breeze and began to contemplate the fact that she would be married in a few minutes, when she suddenly became aware of several unexpected sensations. Her knees knocked together, her heartbeat quickened, and her hands shook. She felt nauseous, stupid, and nervous—and she didn't even know why! She tried to relax by taking a few more deep breaths, but her thoughts would not stop racing.

_Maybe I'm nervous because Zuko and I have broken up so many times. Maybe I'm afraid this isn't going to work. Maybe it won't! Maybe_—

"Now, don't you dare get worried, Mai," said a gentle, yet firm, voice from near the curtains across the room.

Her heartbeat quickened further at the sudden noise and she leapt around, but she calmed down when she saw that it was only her escort to the doors of the ceremonial hall. Her sense of peace did not last long, though, because she realized, _That's my escort—to _my_ wedding!_ Feeling light-headed, she sat on a stool, placed her face in her hands, careful not to ruin her hair-do, and groaned in frustration.

"I don't even know why I'm so nervous." She slowly raised her eyes to look into the woman's ember ones as she added, "I guess it's just that—"

"—this is a big deal," concluded her escort. Mai nodded and returned her eyes to the ground.

The older woman walked over and sat next to her on a wooden chair. She pulled the bride's hands from her face and lifted her chin until their gaze met.

"I felt the same way when I got married, Mai. I think you've already surmised that I, like you, am not a very emotion-driven woman, so when I got nervous on _my_ wedding day, I didn't know what to do with myself! But, you know what?" She waited for a response.

"What?"

"When you walk into that hall and you look into Zuko's eyes, nothing else is going to matter." At this, the escort cast her eyes down and did not speak for a moment. When she looked back up, her tone and expression were more sad and pensive. "You're very lucky. I was not in love with the man I was going to marry, so I can only imagine what that must feel like. But I know that you _will_ feel it." She smiled and placed a delicate hand on the trembling girl's cheek. "It's going to be all right, Mai."

The young bride nodded, summoned her remaining courage, and took a deep breath. She then smiled and said, "Thank you, Ursa."

Zuko's mother's smile widened and she answered, "You're welcome." They shared a moment of silence when someone outside of the room knocked on the wall next to the curtains. They both started and Ursa glanced at the clock, exclaiming, "Oh, my!" She gracefully stood and extended her hand to Mai, who seemed as though she would very much like to stay planted to the stool. Smiling again, she said, "Are you ready?"

Swallowing her fear and nausea, the bride nodded, grabbed her escort's hand, and stood cautiously. "Ready as I'll ever be." Ursa released her hand, stooped to smooth Mai's dress, and tucked away a stray piece of the younger woman's hair. She straightened to flash another reassuring grin, patted Mai on the back, and prodded the reluctant woman to the draped exit.

As Ursa lifted the opening to let Mai through, Mai was greeted by her father, who immediately pulled his daughter into a fond embrace. After a long while—during which time the bride was extremely uncomfortable both physically and emotionally—he released her and examined her with tears in his eyes. "You are so beautiful, Mai."

Mai rolled her eyes and exclaimed, "Dad…" while Ursa smiled upon the scene. However, when Mai's father simply continued to stare at his daughter, she cleared her throat, bringing him back to earth.

"Ah, yes," he said as he wiped his eyes quickly, "moving on." He held his arm out to Mai, who placed her own over his, and they began to walk toward the hall with Ursa leading the little group. It was a short walk, but, even so, it felt like an eternity to the anxious young woman. _What am I _doing_? Why did I even let Ty Lee and Azula put me in this wretched dress? I can't wait for all of this to be—_

"Ready?" asked Ursa of the duo, just as she had asked Mai before, interrupting her thoughts once again. They both nodded, so Zuko's mother bid a nearby servant to notify the musical symphony inside. The servant rushed away, so Ursa turned to position the pair behind the grand doors, after which she grinned and said quietly, "Good luck," slipping through a side door into the hall to find her seat.

_Easy for her to say_, thought Mai, who was again left to experience what felt like an eternity of waiting. After a moment, her father leaned down to peck her on the cheek and whispered, "I'm so proud of you."

Mai was surprised to find that a tear had crept down her face, which left her feeling more odd than over, but she smiled weakly and replied, "Thanks, Dad."

Immediately after she spoke the words, when Mai suspected Ursa had finally been seated, a servant appeared behind her suddenly and softly grasped the train of her dress, while two more came to stand next to the doors. Mai quickly wiped away the lone tear and jumped slightly when the wedding symphony and royal chorus sounded loudly, and, when the doors were opened, was even more shocked to see a crowd of beaming faces, all staring at _her_. Her instincts yelled, "Run!" but she braved the task at hand and began to walk down the aisle with her father, when it happened—exactly like Ursa had said it would. She had glanced around at the faces in the crowd for a few seconds—which made her feel even more nervous—when she decided it would be better for her to look straight ahead, when her eyes met Zuko's.

Emotions—many of which she had not felt in a long time—flooded through her as she stared at her fiancé, growing ever nearer. Dozens of memories began to pass through her mind, as well, with one in particular standing out.

_Red and gold streamers waved in the summer breeze, the sound of their flapping mingled with the overwhelming noise of hundreds of voices in the marketplace. It was an enormous market, having grown in popularity over the years; mangos, papayas, clothes, cabbages, jewelry—anything one could imagine was there. Walking alone among the crowd, Mai looked around at the abundance of goods, remembering the many former days that she and Zuko had meandered through the streets of the market the summer before, when he and Azula had just returned from killing the Avatar—the summer before the nations came very close to another war under the hand of Fire Lord Zuko—the summer before he had left to search for his mother._

_It had been a week since Zuko had returned from that search, which Mai had heard by word of mouth. During the time that he had been traveling, Mai had wondered what things would be like between them when he came back. She did not regret breaking up with him and she had decided that, this time, she would let Zuko be the one to the initiative for the next step, whether that would be the reconciliation, ignorance, or the official ending of their relationship. And, though, as Mai walked over to a stand to examine a collection of necklaces, she realized that she knew what she desperately wanted his decision to be._

"_I thought you hated jewelry."_

_She immediately smiled at the sound of the deep and familiar voice behind her, but tucked away her grin and did not turn around. She couldn't stop the corner of her mouth from turning, however, when she replied, "I do. I was actually looking at these because they're so ugly."_

_Mai could hear a smile in the voice of the speaker as he said, "Well, it's good to know that you haven't changed much."_

_Unable to bear it any longer, Mai whipped around and hugged Zuko firmly, who was dressed in everyday clothing. He hugged her back even harder and she relaxed into his fold contentedly._

_After a while, he released her with a pained expression and looked into the swirling realms of her purple eyes, saying sadly, "Mai, I am so sorry for the way I acted last fall. I am so sorry that _you_ were the one who had to break up with me. I was a jerk and—"_

_She placed a finger over his lips and gazed into his own fiery eyes, which were misty and concerned. "Stop it. I forgive you. And, now that you're here, I don't really care."_

_His expression relaxed and he smiled in relief. "Mai, you're the best."_

_Trying to keep her face straight, she shrugged and replied, "I know." Zuko grinned and she cracked a smile, too. Wrapping her arms around his neck and scooting closer with a gleam in her eye, she dropped her cocky facade and whispered, "You're not so bad yourself, Fire Lord."_

_Still grinning, he placed his hands on her sides and dropped his head, answering, "I know," and kissed her soundly. When they finally separated, they smiled at one another and, hand in hand, walked down the streets of the market together. They did not speak for a long while until, entering a scarcely populated street, Mai suddenly turned to face him and poked in hard in the chest. She almost laughed at his surprised expression and the way in which he rubbed the area she'd poked him, but didn't. Rather, she asked, "What took you so long to come to talk to me, by the way?"_

_Sheepishly, he began to rub his neck instead of his chest and replied slowly. "Well, I wasn't sure what I would say and…I didn't know if you would still want me." He grinned rather guiltily and waited for her response._

_Mai rolled her eyes, grabbed his hand again, and resumed their steady pace. "You're a dork."_

_Zuko bit back a smile and answered, "Yeah. I can't argue with that."_

"_Good. It looks like we're finally establishing a few things."_

_Losing his control, he laughed loudly, spun her around and kissed her again firmly as he held her above the ground. "Yeah," he replied breathlessly as she stared up at him with flushed cheeks and sparkling eyes, "we are. We're establishing things for good."_

"You may now kiss the bride."

Mai started. _When did I even say my vows?_ But her worry evaporated when she found Zuko's eyes again and she smiled at his joy. She found that she was happy, too.

And, when she found his lips and heard the sound of a multitude of hands clapping, she knew that she was going to enjoy being married to her Fire Lord—and she knew that she would enjoy it for a very long time.


	4. Chapter 4

___Disclaimer: I do not own _Avatar: The Last Airbender ___or any characters, etc. which belong to it._

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Chapter Four

Aang walked down the long, quiet halls of the Fire Nation palace, smiling at the few servants he passed with a good-natured nod, and examined the artistic wall designs he'd seen so many times before. The tapestries covering the walls were impressively elaborate and were hewn with deep red, gold, and copper patterns. The colors were even more enhanced as the evening rays splayed upon them through the enormous windows. And Aang noted that the furniture against the walls was no less grand than the walls themselves; each piece's elegance suggested grace, yet authority.

Lost in thought, continuing to gaze upon the walls, the young man curiously imagined what it would be like to live in Zuko's shoes. Being the Fire Lord, walking these halls daily, would he even notice the tapestries or the furniture? Would he like taking care of important business in an impressive office? He shuddered at that; he knew he would much rather be outside with the fresh breeze and warm sunrays on his face. The weather outside had been gorgeous lately, seeing as it was now fall, and had prompted Aang to spend even more time outside than usual. Well, as much time as he could, what with all of the meetings about the planning of Republic City. The planning had been put on hold during the preparation for Mai and Zuko's wedding, but now that that had been taken care of, the council had been gathering more often than he liked.

_Speaking of which_, Aang thought as he rubbed his eyes sleepily, _I still have that report to finish when I get back to the apartment tonight. Ugh… if I hate doing _that_, I bet Zuko hates being Fire Lord. I wonder how much paper work _he _has to do?_ Sauntering along slowly, he began to mentally finalize the details of his report. _I talked to the architects, and they said that Sokka's ideas about a council hall would work just fine. Now, where should I put that in the paper? Oh, I could—_

"Aang!" Zuko's voice came from a room behind him. Aang started, turned around in surprise, and smiled. He'd been thinking so much, he'd passed the very room for which he'd come into the palace.

Walking quickly toward Zuko's office, he rounded the corner to find his friend grinning at him. The younger boy wagged his finger and began to cross the distance between them.

"Don't you make fun of me, Zuko." He slumped into a plush maroon chair in front of the desk and massaged his eyes again. "I'm tired. And I don't know this palace very well yet."

Zuko snorted. "That's surprising, after all the meetings we've had."

Aang smiled tiredly and replied, "Yeah. I _should_ know this place better, but I guess I just don't come to your office very often." A brief moment of silence passed before the Avatar spoke again. "So, why did you need me to come?"

Zuko leaned back in his comfortable-looking seat and placed the tips of his fingers together. "Right. Well, I've been the busiest I've ever been the last few weeks, now that I'm married to Mai and now that the plans for Republic City are finally getting started." He paused. "By the way, have you been to the location we've chosen yet?"

Aang shook his head. "I only heard about it during one of the meetings. I want to, though."

"You should. It's actually a nice place." He stopped momentarily. "Anyway, I've been really busy, so although I _want_ to be involved in the on-site construction of the city, I can't. So-o-o-o"—he stretched out the word and looked at his friend with hopeful eyes—"I was wondering if you would be willing to oversee the creation of the city."

Aang stared at the corner of the desk with glazed eyes as he considered the proposal. Zuko added, "I'm not sure how long it will take, but it would be very helpful to me. Also, I think that you being there—physically present—would be a good example to each of the nations, politically."

The junior continued to stare at the piece of furniture for several minutes when he finally replied. "I'm still not sure yet of the Avatar's role in politics, but I can see why it would be good for me to be there." He looked up with a twinkle in his eye. "We-e-e-ell"—he hesitated as a smile spread across his face—"if my hotman commands it of me, so be it."

Zuko's eyes sparkled in good humor as he scowled and slammed his palms against the desk. "Yes, I do!" He could not continue the act for long, though, and soon grinned, as well. "Thanks, Aang." Relieved, he leaned back in his chair and sighed. "I owe you one." He added with slight mortification, "But, seriously—again with the 'hotman'?"

Aand laughed loudly. "Yep! I'll never forget."

Zuko groaned. "Great."

The airbender laughed again and Zuko smiled as he began to put away a few files. After a couple of minutes, Aang's facial expression became sheepish. "Um…Zuko?"

The Fire Lord, shuffling a few pieces of paper, did not note the younger boy's discomfort and waited for Aang's next sentence.

"How…how exactly did it work? You and Mai getting married?"

Zuko stopped and looked up with a startled expression. "You mean, me asking her to marry me?"

Aang grew more awkward. "Uh, yeah."

"Well, uh…I told Mai I had been an idiot. She agreed. And I asked her to marry me a couple of days later."

"That's not very helpful, Zuko."

"Oh." Now the elder was uncomfortable. "Sorry."

The awkward sensation grew stronger when neither spoke for a long while. Finally, Zuko cleared his throat and asked, "So, I assume you're asking because of you and Katara?"

The Avatar nodded with an obvious sense of unease.

"How long have you two been together? A year? And you're fourteen now, right?"

Aang nodded again with still-flushed cheeks. "I mean, I know we're young, but…I figured planning ahead wouldn't hurt."

"Yeah. I guess you could, uh…talk to her about your future plans?"

"Yeah…"

Another uncomfortably quiet moment was generated. "Sorry, Aang," said Zuko. "I've never been very good with girls. I mean"—he flayed one of his hands as he settled back into his seat—"look at my record. My sister used to hate me—she _still_ does, sometimes. It took your girlfriend forever to get rid of her desire to murder me. And I dumped Mai once—and then she had to break up with _me_." He grew thoughtful and began to stroke his chin. "Hmm…now that I think about it, I'm amazed that I even got married."

Aang laughed and grew less uncomfortable. "I think you're right. Well"—he slapped the armrest, glad that that conversation was behind him—"thanks, anyway, Zuko." He stood to go and began to exit the room.

"Oh, wait," added the Fire Lord, who stood, too. "You'll need this." He grabbed a file from his desk and walked to his friend. As Aang reached out to take it, Zuko said, "It has the information you'll need about your stay in Republic City. Or, I guess what is going to _become_ Republic City."

"Thanks." He smiled. "I guess I'll see you at the apartment tomorrow night? You do remember that everyone is coming over to hang out?"

"Yep. Mai and I will be there!"

"Good. It's been forever since the whole gang was together."

"Yeah. It has." Zuko clapped Aang on the shoulder. "Thanks, again, Aang."

"No problem, hotman!"

Zuko groaned and turned to venture back to his desk, while Aang laughed and left the room. He walked toward the palace entrance and began to look at the file he'd been given. _This is going to be a big job_, he thought, _but it's way better than sitting through all of those meetings._ The state of the world looked good to the young Avatar, who found that he had a skip in his step and a grin on his face.

_Now,_ he pondered, _I just have to figure out what to say to Katara._ He stopped walking as terror pierced through his heart. He loved the watertribe girl, but he would rather sit through a meeting than make himself sound stupid to the girl he loved. Little did he know, however, that Katara could care less about the exact words that he said—as long as he actually brought it up—because she had been thinking about their plans as a couple, too.

* * *

"Toph, what do you think of this mango dish? I just made it."

The young earthbender stood from the girls' couch and came into the kitchen to taste Katara's newest culinary creation. She stretched out one of her always-dirty fingers and nearly stuck it in the bowl, but the older girl grabbed her wrist with a scowl.

"Hey! Do you want me to taste it or not?"

"Not with your finger!" Continuing to hold Toph's wrist, she turned around and grabbed a spoon from the counter. "Here." She placed the spoon in Toph's free hand. "_Now_ will you test it?"

The girl grumbled, but yanked her wrist free and transferred the spoon to her now-free hand. She then shoved it into the dish and took a large bite. Katara waited expectantly as she chewed thoughtfully. Finally, Toph shrugged.

"It's not awful." She dropped the piece of utensil and walked back to the couch. Katara stood motionless, mouth gaping, and did not speak until Toph had plopped back down into the sofa. When she did reply, her tone was angry.

"Not awful?!"

The younger girl stretched comfortably and placed her hands behind her neck. "Yeah. It's all right."

"Toph!"

"What?!" The junior sat up with an annoyed expression. "I was serious! I just don't like mangos very much."

"Then why'd you taste it?!"

"I was trying to be nice!"

Katara did not speak for a moment. "Wait…_you_? Trying to be nice?"

Toph shrugged again. "Yeah." She settled into the piece of furniture once more. "Can't a girl be nice every once and a while?"

"I guess…" Slightly dazed, the waterbender turned around and began to clean up the mess she'd made while cooking. As she did so, she began to mentally go through her check-list for the things she had to do to prepare for that evening's party. The entire group was coming over—Mai and Zuko, Sokka, Azula, Ty Lee, Iroh, and Aang—so there was a lot she had to do. Katara sighed. She was certainly glad they were coming, but there was always so much to do when they did.

"Hey, Katara?" asked Toph suddenly.

"Hmmm?"

"I _do_ have a reason for trying to be nice. It's just…uh…you seem to have been on your last nerve lately."

The older girl placed both of her hands on the counter and slumped. "Yeah…"

"Is everything okay?"

Katara smiled at the unusually kind behavior Toph was displaying. Her smile soon disappeared, though, when she decided to answer the girl. "Well"—she slowly turned and began to walk to the living room, eyes training the floor—"there _is_ something that has been bothering me lately—about Aang. It's just that…it's been a year, Toph. A year. I mean, we're doing fine, but he hasn't spoken to me about…_us_." She said the word "us" earnestly, but seemed unsure of how to continue.

Toph replied, "So…what are you saying?"

Katara hesitated and blushed deeply. "I'm saying I want there to _be_ an 'us' in the future." Her blush heightened in color. "And I want to talk to him about it, but I don't know if I should. And I don't know how _he_ feels about it."

"Well, Sugar Queen, I'd say tonight is as good a night as any to talk to him about it."

"Sugar Queen" did not reply for a few seconds. "Yeah…I guess you're right." She smiled at the younger girl. "Okay, I will. Thanks, Toph."

The earthbender returned her form of affection. "You're welcome, Katara." She paused. "Got anything I can eat before the party? I'm starved."

Katara waved her hand toward the kitchen and answered, "There's some leftover rice on the counter."

"Gee. Thanks. Rice. It's not like we eat _that_ every day."

"Hey, I had to use everything else for the party food!"

"_Sure_, Katara."

The senior sighed in frustration, and, yet, in amusement, as well. Even after several months of living with her, she often got angry at the rude and sarcastic girl, but she still enjoyed living with some of her closest friends—Toph and Suki. It had been fun and it saved money; plus, it allowed each girl to continue to work in the Fire Nation. Each of them had specific roles in the planning for Republic City at the request of Zuko. Katara had been traveling far and wide to encourage various refugees to move to Republic City when it was finished and to gather funds for the construction; her job was very important, so she enjoyed her work, but she missed her friends—especially Aang. Suki had been leading the other Kyoshi warriors in protecting Mai and Zuko and in preparing for her own wedding, which would take place during the upcoming winter. Katara smiled at the thought of Sokka and Suki getting married. And Toph had been traveling the world to teach others metal-bending, and, when she was back in the Fire Nation, working with the council to create a group of metal-bending police officers in the new city.

Just thinking of her job and the other girls' made Katara tired. The nice thing about it all, though, is that the Sokka and Aang lived in the same apartment building, so the young men would often drop by. However, each boy was immensely busy with their own jobs of planning for Republic City, as well, so usually only one at a time came to visit. When they could both come, it felt like old times again, but it hadn't been since Mai and Zuko's wedding that everyone—including Iroh, who lived in Ba Sing Se, running his tea shop—had gotten together. They were able to do so this evening because Iroh was visiting the Fire Nation, as he had been asked to attend an important council meeting, and Katara and Toph had made a point to be in town, too. So, Katara was really looking forward to it.

She sighed. _I should probably get back to work._ She took a few more moments to relax, feeling very comfortable in the seat, and looked around their apartment. It was a simple little place, with pastel walls, a set of maroon-colored furniture in the living room, and three small bedrooms, but it had become a cozy home. Katara smiled sadly. _It's not like I'm here much, anyway. Neither is Toph. I guess Suki is alone a lot._

Almost as if on cue, the attractive young warrior opened the door to the apartment, which must have taken some work because her arms were full of baskets of groceries. Her face was flushed and she was out of breath.

"I'm sorry I took so long, Katara!" She promptly set the baskets on to the kitchen counter and collapsed on the unoccupied couch in fatigue, as Toph was eating rice at the table. She brushed aside a few loose pieces of hair from her sweaty face and added, "I tried to hurry, but the market place was packed this afternoon."

The waterbender stood and walked to the pile of food. "That's all right, Suki. Thanks for doing that for me." She sighed and began sorting vegetables. "I still have so much to do."

Suki rose to her feet. "I can help." She smiled and ambled over to the counter. "We're going to need a lot of food if Sokka, Aang, and Zuko are coming."

Katara smiled. "And Toph."

Toph grinned. "And Iroh."

Suki burst into laughter. "Okay, _everyone_ is going to be hungry!" She beamed and added, "But we can get it done. Right, ladies?" She tossed a cabbage to Katara, who replied laughingly, "Right."

Katara turned to Toph. "Want to help, Lazy Bum?"

Toph considered the statement. "Hmm, not too bad, Sugar Queen. 'Lazy Bum' kind of has a ring to it. And…I guess I can help." She raised herself from the chair and wiggled her pointer finger at the others. "But only because I'm in a good mood."

Suki grinned and thrust a cabbage into the air. "All right! Team Cabbage to the kitchen!" They all laughed and got to work.

* * *

Aang smiled as he watched his friends interacting with one another and as he listened to the laughter of everyone in the room. He patted his belly and settled into the seat in which he sat. It had been a great party, but—he gulped—there was still something he needed to do.

He tried to slow his fast-paced heartbeat with no success. _Well, it's now or never, Aang. Come on! Man up!_ He stood with shaky legs and walked to Katara, who was in the kitchen, placing a few dishes in the sink.

"Um…Katara?"

She turned and grinned at her beau. "Yeah, Aang?"

Her expression did not ease his fear, but only served to enhance it. "I…I need to talk to you." She looked a little surprised and concerned. "In private," he managed to choke out.

"Sure." She wiped her hands on a cloth, but still held the same expression of apprehension on her face. Nonetheless, she followed Aang as they made their way to the small back patio, stepped around Aang with a quiet "thank you" when he held open the door for her, and waited for him to cross over the threshold, as well. When he finally did so, she was forced to wait patiently again as he searched for the right words and wringed his hands nervously. He soon gave up, however, and began to speak earnestly.

"Katara, I love you."

She looked flabbergasted. Finally she smiled and replied, "Well, thanks, Aang. I love you, too." Neither spoke for several moments. "Uh…is that all you came out here to tell me?"

"No!" He was more nervous than before, so he took a deep breath and did not continue for a short while. Finally, he managed to add quietly, "Can I try this again?"

Katara laughed and replied, "Sure," so he walked back inside and paced in the kitchen for a few minutes. When he had collected himself, he strode a little more confidently back outside, where Katara leaned against the railing, gazing over the rest of the bustling city. She must have been thinking hard, because she did not hear him open the door, but Aang certainly noticed her. Her beauty and serenity made him pause and threw his nerves into chaos again, but he gulped and closed the door, at which point she _did_ notice him. She smiled as he came over anxiously and she leaned against the wall as she waited—again. Aang barely remembered the words he had rehearsed just a few minutes earlier, but he tried again.

"It's been a year that we've been together, Katara, and it's been one of the best of my life." He smiled at her. Her heart pounded and her eyes moistened with joy as she smiled back at him lovingly.

"I love you so much and couldn't imagine life without you. So, I want to move forward. Maybe even"—he rubbed his neck and stared at the ground—"marriage someday?" He met her eyes again with innocence and continued, "I want to know what _you_ think."

Katara found that she was now the one who could hardly speak, for fear of bursting into tears, but she forced herself to calm down and answered slowly, with a lump in her throat. "Aang"—her methods didn't work and she began to cry—"I love you, too." She burst forward and wrapped her arms around him, sobbing with happiness. "Oh, Aang," she choked into his chest, "I feel the same way. I want to move forward, too."

Aang grinned and hugged her back, finding that his eyes were wet, as well. Only the sound of her weeping was heard for a long time, but eventually she stopped crying and lifted up her face to stare into his eyes as she beamed. She was slightly amused that he had grown so much within a year—yet glad that she could look up at _him_ now, rather than the other way around—and she loved the way his eyes swirled with emotion when he was happy. He continued to smile richly, leading her emit a laugh accompanied by a small hiccup.

"Well?" She giggled.

He looked surprised—he didn't know they had both been quiet for so long—took her delicate hands into his own, and looked very serious again.

"I'm glad we both feel the same way, but"—he looked uncomfortable and watched her face for a reaction—"I think we might be too young to get married yet."

She became very somber and removed her hands gently, wiped her face with them, and leaned over the railing again. When she spoke, it was in very low and gradual tones. "I think"—she broke off and sighed deeply—"I don't know." She straightened and looked at him anxiously. "I don't know, Aang." She rubbed her face, stressed, and leaned her back against the wall again. "I think we may be ready, but we _are_ kind of young. Maybe we _should_ wait."

"How long?"

She shrugged her shoulders sadly. "I don't know. What do you think?"

He shrugged, too. "I don't know, either." They both looked at each other and blushed. He chuckled and noted, "This is a weird conversation."

She giggled and looked away, embarrassed. "Yeah. It is." She stared at the door as she added slowly, "You know what's weird?" She looked back up at him. "_I_ had decided that I was going to talk to you about us tonight."

Aang grinned in the goofy way she had grown to love. "Well, I guess now you don't have to."

"Yeah." Katara beamed. "I guess you're right."

They smiled at each other, hearts bursting with affection, when Aang finally stepped forward and said gruffly, "Come here," a command which she gratefully obeyed. They hugged again fiercely. Katara never wanted to leave his arms, but she didn't regret it after a moment, because they both parted a little and looked at each other romantically. Aang craned down his neck and Katara stood on her tiptoes, and they shared a firm and deep kiss. A kiss to physically affirm their future plans. A kiss to promise their devotion to one another. A kiss that gave Katara hope to wait for however long was necessary for them to be together.

They broke apart and she hugged him again. "I love you, Aang."

"Oh, Katara…" He sighed into her hair. "I love you, too."

He grinned. She had felt the same way. He was so happy—and he knew she was, too. He could wait a little while. It would be worth it. Things were finally being set into motion.

* * *

_That was a really long chapter-at least, it felt like it. I decided to write a really long one because it's spring break. Ahhhh...it has been _so_ nice. Anyway, please review and, when you do, I would like to know your answers to the following questions:_

_1. Do you like longer or shorter chapters?_

_2. Do you think this story needs to be rated "T"?_

_3. I feel like I stink at writing romance. What do you think? (Please be completely honest. I like blunt and honest reviews.)_

_Thanks, guys and gals. Have a great rest of the weekend._


	5. Chapter 5

_In the last chapter, I admitted that I'm not very good at writing love stories, so I asked you to critique that section. Someone did, and told me that I shouldn't have included the part where Aang and Katara cried. I read over that portion, and realized that that person was right, and now I _hate_ that part of the chapter. Ugh! I'm so embarrassed! I'll try not to be so mushy anymore. Thanks, again, to the person who mentioned it to me._

_By the way, if you ever have any suggestions as to what you want to happen next, send me a PM and I may very well take your suggestion into consideration._

_As always, please review!_

* * *

Chapter 5

Aang sat with his legs crossed on the balcony of the hotel room, tongue sticking out slightly, concentrating on his delicate creation. The late afternoon sun beams beat upon his bald head, but Aang hardly noticed, even though his scalp was immensely sunburnt as a result of his sitting outside all afternoon. This project required all of his attention—a virtue which was rarely plentiful—and had taken him weeks, what with all of his responsibilities at the site of Republic City. But, even though his project was tedious and it would take him many weeks more, it was definitely worth it.

The young monk cautiously whittled along the edge of the material with which he was working and released a long-held breath, then carefully set his craft and carving tool upon the terrace. He sighed and laid on his back with his hands behind his neck, wincing and rubbing his cranium because he finally noticed his sunburn, but feeling very contented. He smiled and watched the orange and purple clouds saunter slowly across the sky. The new city's construction was going well, it was his birthday, and—most importantly—he was going to see Katara tonight. He had missed her so much, as it had been months since he'd seen her, so he couldn't wait to see her during his brief visit in the Fire Nation; he planned to spend every minute of his three day visit with her.

Aang's chest felt like it would burst from happiness, and he twisted his head and reached out his arm to examine his project again. Katara's betrothal necklace was coming along nicely, if he said so himself, a thought which led him to grin, set down his creation, and look back up at the clouds. He couldn't wait to ask her to be his wife—and he hoped it would be soon. Well, he was only sixteen, so it might be another year, but it was never too early to plan ahead—starting with her necklace.

He continued to daydream happily, when he suddenly shot up. His birthday party! He scrambled up from the balcony, grabbed the necklace and the tool, and rushed inside. _Stupid!_, he thought as he hurriedly shut the door leading outside and twisted around to race to his bedroom to get dressed. On the way, he tossed the choker and the instrument onto the couch, and finally reached his bed, only to glance around the room with a panicked expression. _Where is my dress shirt?_, he wondered as he rubbed his hands across his head frantically and grimaced again from the sunburn, but his train of thought was interrupted when he heard a knock on the door. The young man groaned and rushed to the door, opening it to be greeted by someone he had been expecting.

"Aang!" The tan boy yelled his name and threw himself upon Aang, squeezing him in a bear hug.

"Hey, Sokka," Aang managed to mutter with a grin, face squished against the elder's chest and arms plastered on his sides.

Beaming, Sokka scrubbed his knuckles against the boy's hairless head, causing Aang to yelp in pain and try to push him away. Sokka finally released him and surveyed his younger friend.

"You've gotten taller."

Aang rubbed his hurting scalp. "And you've gotten stronger."

Sokka grinned and flexed his muscles. "Yeah. I've been working out." His facial expression suddenly changed drastically and he asked with a confused tone of voice, "Why aren't you wearing a shirt?" He wagged his finger at him. "You know, even the Avatar can't walk around without a shirt on." He sighed. "I know _I_ would, but _someone_ wouldn't let me."

For this comment, Sokka received a whack on the head from someone behind him, who then pushed him inside the room and retorted, "Even you don't look good enough to do that."

"Hey!" Sokka rubbed his head and tried to look hurt, but couldn't pull his act for very long and ended up smiling at his wife affectionately.

Suki grinned back at her husband and looked at the other boy. "Hey, Aang!"

The monk returned her expression. "Hey, Suki."

Sokka suddenly asked, "Hey, Aang, this might be weird"—he paused and looked at the boy skeptically—"No, I take that back, seeing as you're the one not wearing a shirt"—Aang blushed—"But can I use your bathroom?"

Aang smiled and pointed toward the intended room. "Sure. It's over there."

"Thanks, buddy." The young man grinned and scrubbed Aang's head again, turning to walk toward the bathroom as Suki shook her head with a humored expression. She then looked at Aang and examined his chest, leading him to blush further.

"So, uh…why _aren't_ you wearing a shirt?"

Aang threw up his hands in exasperation. "I can't find one!" He sighed. "And I only just started looking for it because I was working on"—he stopped and the rose-colored hue on his cheeks heightened.

Suki's eyebrow rose. "What?"

"Nothing." He was a horrible liar.

"Have you been working on _that_?" She raised her arm and pointed to the necklace on the couch. Aang turned to follow the point of her finger, blushed even more intensely, and rubbed the back of his neck.

"Uh…yeah."

"What is it?"

"It's, uh…it's for Katara."

Suki gasped and her eyes brightened with hopefulness. "Is that for…what I think it's for?"

Aang nodded with a bashful grin. "Yeah. I don't know when, but…I'm going to ask her to marry me."

For the second time that evening, he found himself in another incredibly tight hug. When Suki released him, she was obviously pleased.

"Oh, my gosh, Aang! That's wonderful!" She faltered for a moment. "Have you asked her dad yet?"

At this, Aang shook his head fervently with a worried expression and replied, "No, I haven't!" He rushed over to the couch and added, "For one thing, I'm not done with _this_ yet." He grabbed the necklace, stuck it under one of the cushions, and sought for the wording of his next sentence, because this conversation was a little awkward for him. He stood in an uncomfortable position, rubbing his arm, but eventually said, "And I don't think we're old enough. So…I don't think I'm going to ask Hakoda yet." He coughed and rubbed his arm more furiously.

Suki almost laughed at Aang's nervous antics, but managed to keep her face straight and tapped her chin with a thoughtful expression. "So, why did you hide the necklace?"

Aang ceased his anxious behavior, raised a brow, and walked over. "Uh, Suki, can you imagine what Sokka would have done if he'd seen it?"

Suki released the laughter she'd been withholding. "Yeah. He would have freaked out."

Aang rubbed his eyes tiredly. "I'm just glad you saw it _before_ him."

"Saw what?"

Both Suki and Aang's heads whipped around to find Sokka walking toward them. Aang was the first to reply, waving his arms, looking rather comical.

"Oh, nothing, Sokka! Nothing at"—he stopped his alarmed speech and noticed that Sokka was holding something. "My shirt!" He ran over to grab it and threw it on.

"It was in the bathroom." He shook his head. "Sixteen years old and you can barely function on your own."

Aang punched the arm of his now grinning friend, but smiled, too, and turned to Suki. "Ready to go?"

The young woman answered cheerfully. "Yep!" She faced her husband and asked, with sparkling eyes, "And you, sir?"

Sokka walked to his wife cockily and held out his arm. "Only if you are, miss." He wiggled his brows flirtatiously and Suki laughed, took his arm, and walked out the door with him. Aang exited, too, closing and locking the door behind him, and grinned as he watched his friends walk arm-in-arm down the hall. He smiled even further at the thought of seeing Katara and knew that seeing her tonight would be the only thing that would help him wait to marry her. At that thought, he rushed to catch up to Sokka and Suki. Tonight was going to be fun.

* * *

A young woman, sitting on a stool in front of her home and garbed in a loose-fitting green dress to make room for her slightly protruding belly, reached down slowly to pick up one of her husband's shirts. She scrubbed it against the washboard for several minutes, pausing to brush aside a few loose pieces of hair, and resumed her work.

"Suki?"

She gasped, whipped her head up, and felt her jaw drop when she saw who it was standing on the other side of her fence. "Aang?!"

It had been seven months since Aang had been in the Fire Nation for his sixteenth birthday party, so although she was glad to see him, she had no idea why he was back. She stared at him in surprise, noting the change in his height and appearance.

"Hey, Suki." He grinned abashedly and waved. "Sorry if I scared you!"

Suki grinned and waved back as soap flicked off her fingers. "It's okay." She hesitated. "Um…what are you doing here?"

Aang blushed and reached into his right pocket, replying, "Remember that day you saw Katara's necklace?"

She nodded, still slightly in shock.

"Well, I finished it." He pulled his hand out of his robes, along with the piece of jewelry, holding it up for her to see.

Suki once again drew in another sharp breath. It was _beautiful_. The material—an ocean-blue stone shaped into an small octagon—shone brightly, appearing to almost envelop the sunlight, and sparkled in an array of colors. Adding to its beauty was the ribbon on which it lay, which was only slightly lighter than the stone, shimmering in many colors, like the pendant. She had never seen anything like it.

"Aang, that's amazing!" She looked back up at him. "How long did it take you to make it?"

"About seven months." He grinned, evidently proud of his work. "I couldn't work on it all that often, being so busy in Republic City, but I finished it about six months after I was here, in the Fire Nation. Anyway"—he opened the gate, walked over, and sat on another stool next to the pregnant woman—"how are you?"

Suki noticed that his eyes flicked to her belly for a moment. She realized that Aang already knew about the baby because Sokka had sent him a message via hawk as soon as they'd learned, and she smiled. "I'm fine." She sighed and leaned against the wall of her home. "I'm so ready for this little stinker to be born, though."

Aang grinned again and reached out his hand tentatively. "Do you…do you mind?" Even though he was sixteen, his eyes were filled with innocent wonder.

"Sure!" Suki took his hand and placed it on her belly, and at that very moment, the child within kicked—quite hard.

"Wow!" said Aang softly. He paused and looked at the expecting woman. "Does it hurt when the baby does that?"

"Not really. It's just uncomfortable sometimes."

"Oh." Aang removed his hand and, although he seemed to have something to say, he resorted to gaze at the clouds.

"So," asked Suki, breaking the silence, "what are you doing in the Fire Nation? Is Republic City finished?"

"Not yet. There's a meeting tonight that Zuko wants me to attend. The city is going to be finished in a few months, so we need to talk about a few important details." He hesitated, looking uncomfortable. "And, while I was here…and since the necklace is finished…"

"You're going to ask Katara," breathed Suki, smiling as she finished his thought.

"Yeah." He blushed. "So…I need your advice." He looked at the ground and rubbed his knees. "I need to know how to ask Hakoda for his permission to marry Katara. And…"—he gulped—"and how to ask Sokka."

Suki's eyes twinkled in withheld laughter, but she remained serious. "Well, I would ask Hakoda before you ask Sokka. And I would just tell him the truth—about the way you feel about Katara."

The young man nodded, concentrating on every piece of advice she gave him. "Okay." He took a deep breath. "I can do this."

Suki laughed and bent down to wash Sokka's shirt. "There's nothing to worry about. I think we all know what he'll say, anyway." She stole a sly glance at him sideways, smiling mischievously, and Aang's face burned as he returned her expression. She chuckled and returned to her work. "How are you going to propose to Katara?"

Aang grinned, obviously excited. "Okay, so, I'm going to need some help from you, Sokka, and Toph."

"I'm in! Tell me about it." She was sitting up again, now that she was really curious.

"The most important thing is this." He leaned forward intently, his face lined with a serious expression. "_No one_ can tell Katara I'm here right now."

Suki's brow furrowed. "How long are you staying?"

"About a week."

She sucked in a breath. "That might be kind of hard, but we can do it." She smiled. "What's next?"

Aang's eyes lit up with excitement and he began to tell her, his arms moving as he spoke, as Suki listened attentively. She soon realized that this was going to be an elaborate proposal and would take a lot of planning—planning which would have to happen fast if the monk wanted to ask her before he left the country.

But Aang knew it would work because he had planned a long time ago. It had to be perfect, because this was one special girl. A girl that deserved a betrothal necklace that had taken him seven months. A girl that deserved an elaborate proposal. A girl with which Aang wanted to spend the rest of his life. And the young man couldn't wait to ask her.


	6. Chapter 6

_**A/N**__: Need I even say it? ;) I'm sorry for taking so long!_

_By the way, I changed the story to T, just in case._

_Enjoy! Lots of mushiness ahead. If it's lame-if anything at all could be better-please let me know._

_Disclaimer: I do not own _Avatar: The Last Airbender_ or any characters, etc. which belong to it._

Chapter 6

The kettle boiled, the vegetables lay chopped on the counter, and the soup needed to be stirred. The small kitchen was hot and dirty, but it was inviting, too, inside the homely dwelling, with the evening rays shining through the window. Within the room was a pink-faced housewife, who hummed with a smile teasing her mouth and who busily gathered the ingredients needed for her meal. She paused to make sure she was still the only one in the house, and returned to her work with a fresh tune on her lips.

Suddenly, she heard the front door open, and she peeked around the doorframe. She grinned broadly, but tried to contain her joy at seeing the man who had walked inside. She mustn't let him see how excited she was. Not yet. Trying to act natural, she called to him while stirring the pot on the stove.

"Had a good day, sweetie?"

Her husband audibly sighed, and her smile faltered. It must _not_ have been a good day.

His footsteps echoed on their wooden floor and he slowly walked into the kitchen, stopping at the doorframe to lean against it. He rubbed his eyes and answered tiredly.

"I've had better." He looked up to smile at her, obviously exhausted.

Her brow furrowed. "Are the council meetings not going well?"

He snorted. "That's one way to put it." He sighed again and stared outside the window. "Some people…" He looked back at her with an irritated expression and wiggled his finger. "You know, I don't see why some of the council members can't just try _not_ to have their way sometimes."

She smiled at the cutting board as she picked up the assorted vegetables to dump into the pot. "I guess that's a risk you take when you form a republic." She looked up at him with affection lined on her tan face. "But that's the way you and Zuko want it, right?"

His eyes softened, but he still looked tired. "Yeah." He chuckled. "Now, though, I'm not so sure."

She grinned and added spices to the soup, allowing a few moments of silence to pass between them. She broke it when she asked, "So, how is my little nephew? Did you drop by Sokka's house today, like you said you would?"

"Yeah, I did. Seems to be acting like his dad."

Katara chortled. "That's a scary thought."

Aang laughed, and silence ensued. After a few seconds, Katara jumped and shrieked at a tickling sensation on her neck. "Aang!" She laughed, though, at his silly antics and at the feeling his facial hair created on her skin. She could tell he was grinning as he tickled her sides. She yelled in mirth again, dropping the spoon in her effort to escape his grasp, and turned around to push him away, finding his face very close to hers.

Her husband stopped tickling her, but left his hands at her sides. "And how is my lovely lady today?"

Her flushed cheeks, both from the heat and the attention he was placing upon her, were very attractive to Aang. She seemed very happy today…

"I'm fine, Mr. Avatar." Her dimples became clearer as she smiled further. "And how are you?"

His eyes sparkled and he tickled her, causing her to squirm and giggle again. "You already asked me that."

"Did I?" She scooted closer and rubbed the sides of his face—his soft beard—with her warm, delicate hands. Her voice was now only a whisper. "I guess I forgot."

They kissed slowly, with a quiet passion and with a sense of contentment at each other's touch. There was a gentle affection between them, their love having grown over the past two years of their marriage. But, even though they could have continued forever, Katara broke away first. She did not want dinner to be ruined, especially not this evening.

Aang rubbed her back gently and spoke softly as she tried to finish preparing the meal. "Speaking of forgetting, I haven't forgotten about what today is." He removed his hand and Katara turned her head slightly to look at him. In his palms lay a small, blue, wrapped box—his two-year anniversary gift to her.

"Awww, Aang!" Her eyes shone with adoration for her spouse and she took the box to open it with slightly mussed fingers. Inside, sitting atop deep blue velvet, lay a water-tribe bracelet, fashioned to look very much like her betrothal necklace.

Katara looked at him in wonder, her mouth gaping. "Aang," she breathed, "this is beautiful."

He smiled, picked up the adornment, and fashioned it to her wrist, gazing into her eyes when he was done. "Not as much as you."

"You goober." Even though amused at his cheesy statement, she threw aside the package and rushed forward to kiss him. When they separated, she punched him lightly in the chest. "Now stop interrupting me."

She beamed at his goofy grin and was startled with he smacked her suddenly on the lips. "As you command."

"Aang!" But he had already rushed from the room in gales of laughter, toward their bedroom. She laughed and resumed her work.

The room turned slowly darker as time passed, and, soon enough, dinner was finished. Katara lit the lamps in both the kitchen and the dining-room, and began transferring her home-cooked meal to the table. Taking off her apron, she called to her husband. "Dinner's ready!"

Aang rushed in—now clothed in a simple outfit, which was much less formal (and more comfortable) than the robes he had been wearing—and plopped into a seat. He rubbed his hands together with an elated expression. "I'm starved!"

Katara groaned good-naturedly, obviously humored, and began ladling food onto his plate. "You know, it's getting harder and harder to feed you, you hungry, twenty-year-old brute."

Aang leaned back in mock offense and gasped, his hand placed upon his chest and his face set in a hurt expression. "Katara!" He paused for effect. "You have become verbally abusive!"

She grinned. "_Someone's_ got to keep you in line."

He returned her facial expression and began shoveling food into his mouth.

Katara watched in surprise. "Wow. You weren't kidding."

He looked up and replied with his mouth full. "It's those meetings, Katara. They drain all of my energy."

She snorted. "Uh-huh. Sure."

"Really!"

"Yep. Keep talking, Avatar." She hid a smile as she began to eat quietly.

Aang shook his head and pretended to be offended. "I can't believe you're treating me this way, even after I gave you that bracelet."

She beamed at him, then set down her fork and lifted her right hand to examine the piece of jewelry. "This really is something, Aang."

"All worth it for you, Forever Girl."

Katara rolled her eyes. "You are getting so much more immature, doofus."

"Yep." He puffed up his chest and his eyes sparkled. "You know you like it."

"I'm not going to answer that."

"Because it's true."

"Because you're a doofus, doofus," she retorted with a grin.

"Fine. You win." He chuckled and continued eating with gusto.

Katara sat motionless for a few seconds, contemplating on whether or not to give him her gift yet, and decided to wait until they had finished eating. They sat in a comfortable silence, relaxed by the sound of the waves crashing upon the shore outside. Air Temple Island had turned out to be a very nice place to live. It had been a generous wedding gift from Zuko, for which the couple would always be grateful.

Finally, as they both leaned back in their chairs contentedly, Katara knew it was time. She suddenly leaned forward, grasping Aang's hand in one of her own. "Aang"—her voice shook with excitement—"I have a gift for you, too."

"Bet it won't be as good as mine."

Katara smiled back at him. _Oh, I really doubt it,_ she thought. She pushed back her chair, walked into their bedroom, and pulled a box out from under their bed. She had been hiding it for several weeks, and was actually surprised that Aang hadn't found it yet. She returned to the dining-room, pushed back Aang's plate, and set it before him.

Aang lifted it up and shook it a little, something rattling inside. "What _is_ this?" he wondered aloud with genuine curiosity.

"Open it and see!" Katara could hardly wait for him to do so.

He unwrapped the box and ripped it open. His eyes widened and he lifted out a tiny, wooden toy boat. He looked up at his wife in wonder, whose eyes were misty.

"This isn't for me…is it?"

Katara shook her head, so utterly joyful, and clasped her hands together. "No. It's not, Aang."

He suddenly stood, placed aside the boat, and strode quickly to her side. Grasping her quivering hands, he simply stared into her eyes.

She smiled with trembling lips. "Aang, I'm going to have a baby."

Aang's eyes filled with tears and he grinned broadly, when he began to cry and hugged her firmly. Tears spilling down her cheeks, Katara wrapped her arms around him and laughed. A few moments later, he found her lips, then picked her up and swung her around, both laughing in pure joy.

Aang set her back down and wiped the tears from her face, then his own, still beaming. He struggled to form the words for fear of beginning to weep again, his throat constricted.

"Um"—he cleared his throat, still smiling—"uh, how long have you known?"

She smiled, too. "About a month. I wanted to wait to tell you on our anniversary."

He choked out a small laugh. "Well, it certainly had the effect you wanted it to!"

They both laughed again, and gazed into one another's eyes, beaming as tears streamed down their faces.

There was no way they would ever forget this moment. There is no way one could ever forget discovering that you are going to have your first child with the person you love the most deeply. And there was not another love as deep as the one this young couple shared. It was a truly happy moment.

Aang kissed his wife deeply, moving away to brush her hair with his rough hand, grinning at her joy. "Happy anniversary, sweetie."

Oh, the happiness she felt in that moment. She almost couldn't reply, with the lump in her throat, but she managed to do so after pecking him lightly on his wet, scraggly cheek. "Happy anniversary, Aang."

He pulled back to look at her belly and placed his hand upon it, causing his wife to grin and place her hand upon his own. They looked at each other, then back at her stomach.

"I can't wait to meet you, baby," whispered Aang.

And, Katara found, neither could she.


End file.
